Planner In Residence

Adjunct Faculty

Graduate Degrees

Geography is concerned with analyses of environmental and social systems, their variations over the earth's surface and their interactions in different regions. The program has three major goals: (1) to prepare students for many occupations in which geographic understanding is essential, including industrial and retail locational analysis, community and regional development, resource conservation and management, cartography, urban and environmental planning, and numerous government positions; (2) to train students for advanced geographic research, and (3) to provide students with a basis for understanding local, regional and global scale problems and issues. Students are invited to consult with geography faculty members concerning the content of the discipline, as well as employment opportunities available for geographers.

The profession of urban planning takes major responsibility in the development of comprehensive plans and programs for local communities as well as larger regional units. These plans visualize future conditions of social, economic, and physical change, and provide an estimate of the community's long-range needs for various facilities and services. Professional urban planners perform a variety of tasks such as developing plans for housing, transportation, rehabilitation of blighted metropolitan areas, and improving the appearance and efficiency of communities. The program seeks to prepare individuals for working with local community planning agencies and regional groups.

Accreditation: The Master of Urban Planning program is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board.

Geography (M.A. Program)

This program provides students with a broad foundation in geography enabling them to qualify for professional employment or to pursue doctoral work. Informal discussions help to acquaint students with various opportunities to specialize in geography, particular disciplinary strengths of the Department, job opportunities, and program suggestions, as well as related matters.

Admission1 to this program is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School; for requirements, see Admission, Regular. Prerequisite for admission to the Department of Geography is the completion of at least twelve credits in geography and a grade point average of 2.6 or above for the upper division of undergraduate course work. An undergraduate major in geography is not mandatory. A student may complete prerequisites while earning graduate credit.

Candidacy must be established by the time twelve credits have been earned. An official Plan of Work must be filed at that time.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The Master of Arts with a Major in Geography is offered by this department under the following options:

Urban Planning (M.U.P. Program)

Admission to this program is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School, for requirements, see Admission, Regular.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The Master of Urban Planning is offered by this department under the following options:

Plan A: Forty-eight credits including an eight credit thesis.

Plan B: Forty-eight credits including a three credit essay.

The distribution of the forty-eight credits is as follows: twenty-four credits in required courses (listed below), which build the core of the program; selection of elective courses (between twelve and seventeen credits) to form a topic concentration; and the completion of a capstone component that includes an integrative project (U P 7700, four credits), and a master's essay (U P 7999, three credits) or master's thesis (U P 8999, eight credits).

Electives: Following completion of at least twelve credits in required courses, students will, in consultation with a permanent adviser, devise a Plan of Work, selecting elective courses that constitute one of three topic concentrations: Housing and Community Planning, Urban Economic Development, or Planning and Public Policy. With the approval of the Director of the Urban Planning Program, a student may design his/her own topic concentration based on courses offered within the program. All Plans of Work must include at least six credits in courses at the 7000 or 8000 level excluding the capstone requirements.

Prior completion of courses equivalent to the program requirements may form a basis for reducing credits in any individual Plan of Work. Possession of a master's degree in an area of study determined to be related to urban planning by the Graduate Program Committee may allow an applicant to elect a program of thirty-two credits, inclusive of capstone requirements.

Academic work will begin with courses at the 5000 or 6000 level. Core areas in which applicants must take courses are planning background and processes, urban structure and analysis, and planning implementation. All Plans of Work will include at least six credits in courses at the 7000 or 8000 level, excluding the essay or thesis.